Holiday Homes at Lake Orta

Booking Procedure - Terms & Conditions - 'All In' promise - Policies

Last revised and effective from 3-5-2009

Booking Process

Our booking process is as follows: Villa Gelsomina - spring daffs, and the balcony of apartment Paradiso overlooking Lake Orta

please email (or telephone) indicating the number in your party and the period and property (or properties) you are interested in, with the ages of any under-21s in your group;
a 50% booking deposit is required to reserve an apartment;
we confirm your booking in writing;
the balance plus a returnable security deposit is due eight weeks before the first day of occupancy;
on receipt of the balance we send you a receipt and location pack containing:
- directions to arrive at the property;
- key location and access arrangements;
- an inventory, so you can see in advance exactly what's there;
- comprehensive notes about the property, recommended restaurants and other local facilities;
- a set of local walks.
your returnable security deposit is returned (less deductions if any) by bank transfer after your stay.

Terms and Conditions

A 50% booking deposit is required to reserve accommodation, and full payment (including a returnable security deposit) is required within eight weeks of the first day of occupancy.

For larger bookings of more than £1000 / €1200 / US$1500 a lower percentage booking deposit is usually acceptable, please ask at the time of booking.

A returnable security deposit of £100 is required, to cover breakages or any other unpaid costs or expenses. If you are paying in euros, the returnable security deposit is €120. If you are paying in US dollars, the returnable security deposit is US$150.

Payment - UK Residents

Direct Bank Transfers are encouraged, please ask for details of our account.

Cheques should be in pounds sterling .

For apartments in Villa Gelsomina, cheques should be payable to Villa Gelsomina Limited
For all other apartments, cheques should be payable to William Schwitzer

Your returnable security deposit will normally be returned by direct bank transfer.

Payment - non-UK Residents

If you are located outside the U.K., the following payment methods are available:

If you are located in the euro zone, direct bank transfers in euros to our euro account are encouraged, please ask for our account details. Charges for euro transfers are usually low or free.
If you are located outside Europe, credit card payments online in US$ are welcome through PayPal. Please ask for details of how to make payment online by PayPal. Using this payment method, you do not incur any charges.
Bank transfer ("wire transfers") to our sterling account are welcome, please ask for details. Please note that if using this method, you should opt to pay all bank charges incurred.

Your returnable security deposit will be returned:

Within the euro zone, we will return your security deposit by direct bank transfer. No charges are incurred.
If you paid by PayPal, we will return your security deposit by PayPal. You do not incur any charges.
If you are outside the euro zone and paid by bank transfer, we will return your security deposit by direct bank transfer. Please note that if using this method, the bank charges will be deducted from the amount sent.

Please note that all prices in US$ or € on this web site are subject to variation as a result of exchange rate movements, so please always check with us for an up-to-date quotation. Prices are generally guaranteed in the currency they are quoted in, however for balance payments in currencies other than pounds sterling, we reserve the right to make an adjustment if there is a significant movement in the exchange rate in the intervening period.

Alterations to bookings

Changes to the number of occupants must be notified to us in good time, so that we can provide the correct linen and towels, but do not incur any charge (except where we have quoted you a special rate dependent on the number of occupants). The stated maximum occupancy of the apartment cannot be exceeded under any circumstances.

Changes to arrival and departure days, where we are able to accommodate you, attract a booking alteration fee of £10 / €12 / US$15. Reductions in the length of stay will be treated as for cancellations (see below).

Cancellations

The returnable security deposit (if already paid) will always be returned in full.

Up to eight weeks before occupancy: we refund payment made, less 25% of the total weekly rental;

From eight to four weeks before occupancy: we refund payment made, less 50% of the total weekly rental;

Within four weeks of occupancy: no refund is normally made.

Cancellations should be emailed or phoned, and followed up by letter explaining the circumstances of the cancellation.

'All In' promise

We ask for a returnable security deposit (as detailed under Terms and Conditions above). Other than that, and the exceptions detailed in the table below for the smaller apartments in Orta San Giulio, our prices are fully inclusive of all services, there are no hidden extra charges.

'All In' promise Costs are:

Bed linen included (except for cots)

Towels included (but not beach towels)

Final cleaning included (but we ask you to leave the apartment in a reasonable state;
if the apartment is not left in a reasonable state we reserve the right to
charge final cleaning costs from your security deposit)

Electricity included

Gas included (see also below under Winter Heating)

Telephone included (where available, which is for incoming and local calls only)

Extra person included up to the stated maximum for the apartment which cannot be exceeded,
but must be notified to us (see above under Alterations),
unless we make a special offer with a maximum number of occupants,
and except for Calla, Orchidea, and Isola for which there is a charge
of £19 per person per week or part week for more than 2 occupants.

Cot included (subject to availability)
except for Calla, Orchidea, Azalea and Isola for which there is a charge
of £30 per week or part week.
Note that linen is not provided for cots.

Winter Heating

For all apartments, charges for hot water, gas for cooking, and winter heating are included, subject to reasonable use i.e. if usage is unreasonable we reserve the right to charge from your security deposit at €1.00 per metre³ for the full amount of gas used.

Availability of Facilities and Services

Where essential equipment in your apartment (i.e. the boiler for hot water and heating, the cooker, or the fridge) are broken or unavailable, we aim to fix these as soon as possible, and if we are unable to fix these within one working day (excluding weekends and Italian public holidays), we will endeavour to provide alternative accommodation to a similar standard. Should this not be possible, any refund will be limited to the cost of the accommodation that is unavailable.

All other facilities and services are provided on a best endeavours basis. We will do our best to provide the services and facilities advertised, but we do not accept liability where these are unavailable through no fault of our own. In particular, please note:

Swimming pools can occasionally be unavailable, if, for example after heavy rain or contamination by guests, the water quality deteriorates. For all apartments with pools, we regularly check the pH in order to actively maintain the quality of the water, however once the water quality is thrown off balance it can take 24 hours or longer to bring it back to normal levels. You can help us in this regard by reporting immediately any observed change in the water quality.
We are dependent on external services for water, electricity, gas or telephone. In this regard please note that water and electricity supplies in this rural part of Italy are occasionally affected by adverse weather conditions, and no liability will be accepted where these services are unavailable.
If any non-essential equipment or fixture (including the washing machine, hair-drier, iron, television, video player, DVD player, satellite decoder, or any other fittings or fixtures) are broken or unavailable, we will endeavour to fix or replace them within 2 working days (excluding weekends and Italian public holidays). However if we are unable to fix or replace these non-essential items, no refund will be made.

Pets

In a few apartments, we allow pets (please always check with us when making a booking). Where we do, your dog is welcome, but must be well behaved and able to comply with all of the following points:

your dog must be friendly to strangers, not bark unecessarily, and not bark at all between 2200 and 0800;
your dog should not be on sofas and armchairs;
no evidence must be left in the garden, grounds, condominium, or nearby.

Please do not make a booking with us unless you are able and intend to fully comply with each of these points.

Smoking

Smoking is allowed except where indicated for specific apartments (please always check with us when making a booking).

Even where smoking is allowed, we would prefer if you could try and smoke outside, as the smoke can linger in apartments, be difficult to eliminate from furnishings and your apartment, and thereby risk annoyance to the occupants after you.

Where heavy smoking has taken place inside the apartments and we have to wash covers/carpets, we reserve the right to charge these extra costs from your security deposit.

Any cleaning up of cigarette butts inside or outside the apartments will always be considered extra cleaning, and will be subtracted from your deposit.

Offers and Discounts

Please note that no offers or discounts of any kind may be used in conjunction with the following apartments: Punta Movero, Belvedere, Cinque Terre.

'All In' promise	Costs are:
Bed linen	included (except for cots)
Towels	included (but not beach towels)
Final cleaning	included (but we ask you to leave the apartment in a reasonable state; if the apartment is not left in a reasonable state we reserve the right to charge final cleaning costs from your security deposit)
Electricity	included
Gas	included (see also below under Winter Heating)
Telephone	included (where available, which is for incoming and local calls only)
Extra person	included up to the stated maximum for the apartment which cannot be exceeded, but must be notified to us (see above under Alterations), unless we make a special offer with a maximum number of occupants, and except for Calla, Orchidea, and Isola for which there is a charge of £19 per person per week or part week for more than 2 occupants.
Cot	included (subject to availability) except for Calla, Orchidea, Azalea and Isola for which there is a charge of £30 per week or part week. Note that linen is not provided for cots.